Chives Coming Up Early

[caollerton]

Hi All

I have a question concerning my Chives which are kept in pots and kept outdoors. They died back about two months ago, though worryingly they have already started to sprout new growth. This is my first year growing them, if I am right are they not suppose to come back until late January/February. It has been exceptionally mild here in the north west albeit a bit of wind and rain. Will they be ok if there is an extreme weather change, as there have been no frosts yet.

How are other peoples chives doing around the country?

[Capsid]

Chives are very hardy. I wouldn't worry about them. Mine always seem to have a little bit of green growth on them during the winter and then emerge properly in the spring to produce wonderful flowers.

[rustylady]

Don't worry Caollerton. Chives are hardy, and if they're in pots you can move them into a greenhouse to produce shoots all year round. Please add your location to your profile, then the fact that you're in the north west will show up on all your posts and save you having to repeat the information

[jayjay giant]

Funny you should say that caollerton, I was given some chives last year and they went rusty so I put them in the front garden out of the way.
They all died back and I thought that was the end of it until this morning when I noticed some green shoots !
I couldn't belive it, next week they would of been dug out to site the christmas tree !

[zazen999]

I get chives coming up about 4 times a year.

[chriscross1966]

I'd say this is true of all the winter outdoor alliums.... my Welsh onions died back but are now boonming away and look like they're trying to get me to harvest them for a potato salad.... the Egyptian tree onions and Catawissa tree onions have all got growth on them that's come along since they died back late September, the potato onions are showing, I've got several sorts of garlic and barring the sown-into-the-ground elephant garlic it's all up (including the elephant garlic that went into pots and rooted there which I planted out a couple of weeks ago).... looks like the mild start to the winter is getting everything along a bit early.... I have serious doubts about some overwintering broad beans as a result, I reckon they're way too tall ... would love to be wrong cos I'll be harvesting them in March if that's the case..... the single-bulb garlic is way taller than I'd like too.... nearly a foot.....would be happier if it was a third of that.....

chrisc